Healthy and complimented with coconut milk, this easy creamy chicken curry recipe is ready in a half hour. Also teaming with anti-inflammatory turmeric, spices, and a heap of spinach, this chicken curry is a one pot recipe that is richly satisfying for mind, body, and soul. Someone bring me a side of rice.
Cook with Coconut Milk
I especially love that this recipe is a variation of curry, but I was inspired by my Filipino Ginataang Chicken (manok) recipe because the chicken is tenderized and stewed in coconut milk.
Since we are adding heavier amounts of spices like turmeric and paprika, the sauce is more of a curry style than a ginataang dish.
I also added a bit of my Hungarian roots by adding paprika which is just essential for taking this recipe up a level. I love paprika in chicken goulash and this chicken stewed in coconut milk is the right consistency and pairing for some paprika spice to balance the turmeric.
All across Asia, cooking with coconut milk not only honors the natural resources of the land, but can be easily discovered in thousands of dishes and makes a healthful and boldly flavored base for many cuisines.
Coconut milk is plant based and kind of a magic superfood ingredient. It’s a wonderful substitute for when those cravings for saucy and rich comfort food come in, and it makes you feel full.
So instead of butter sauce, this kind of curry dish is my go-to with the same desirable outcome of indulgent, toothsome taste, but better-for-you ingredients.
Ingredients for Chicken Curry
- Chicken Breast – I use white meat for a more balanced dish because the coconut milk is rich. Use chicken thighs for a more tender cut of meat and indulgent recipe. I recommend tenderizing/velveting the chicken breast with some baking soda. It will be in the recipe card below how to do that.
- Coconut Milk – Use regular coconut milk for this recipe.
- Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth – Either work well. I like vegetable broth as I always have it in my fridge. Use Chicken broth for more flavor boost.
- Heap of Fresh Baby Spinach – Colorful and healthy, easy to cook vegetable. Add it at the very end, right before serving. I turn the stove off and let the spinach wilt in just the heat of the sauce so it stays vibrant and green.
- Garlic – mince fresh garlic for the best taste to aromatize the oil and sauce.
- Ginger – grate fresh ginger for the best taste to aromatize the oil and sauce.
- Onions – Any onion is fine. Use half of a large onion and add in when sautéing the garlic and ginger. Dice it.
- Carrots – Use julienned for texture and adding sweetness without having to add sugars.
- Turmeric – I used organic turmeric powder since you will need a tablespoon and a half.
- Paprika – Use regular paprika.
- Corriander – A good pinch of this herb adds to the curry flavoring ingredients.
- Bay Leaves – Use three bay leaves during stewing. Remove when done.
- Salt – Add to your taste preference.
- Cilantro or Thai Basil– chopped and added on top as a garnish (optional)
- Lime – Optional Garnish only. Do NOT add into the entire dish. Use to squeeze over at the end as individual garnish.
Other Ingredients you can add in Chicken Curry:
- Red Bell Pepper – Julienne
- Mushrooms – Button or Shitake variety. Cut in half and add towards the end as to not overcook.
- Fingerling Potatoes – Cut in half. It makes this dish very filling, thicker, and richer.
- Red Thai Chilis – To make it spicy
- Sweet Corn – One can to make it sweeter.
- Chicken Liver – This is a unique ingredient, but is nice add to the rich flavor. Chop it in very small pieces and sauté with the garlic and onions till seared.
Being a home cook and considering we eat most meals at home, not just for wholesomeness but for convenience, this is dish that makes me feel like I just got take-out without having to leave the house (and saves the money too)!
My kids also like this dish, which is a win for me when I think of the bold spices that are in here. I give them more rice so it is easy for them to eat. For me, I take a whopping serving spoonful and put it next to steaming rice, and I’m in comfort food heaven.
Can I store leftovers? Yes, easily. I use very hot steaming rice, and lay the cold leftovers over it so everything perfectly warms up (the sauce will have thickened), without having to reheat the chicken curry. You can also choose to reheat on a stove or microwave. Add a half tablespoon of water if needed to help the sauce come back.
You can even try a Chicken Curry Sandwich with the cold leftovers. It’s amazing and effortless.
Can I freeze this? Yes, in an airtight glass container.
Is this gluten-free? Chicken curry is gluten free! Also, rice is gluten free so this is a great meal for a gluten free diet.
Chicken Curry Fast & Easy
Equipment
- braiser pan or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts cut into chunks
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 can coconut milk regular
- ½ cup vegetable broth or chicken broth chicken broth will add more chicken flavor
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger grated or minced
- ½ large onion cut into ½" wide and 2" long pieces
- 1 large carrot julienned
- 3 bay leaves
- 1¼ tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp corriander
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- salt to taste
- cilantro Topping Garnish. Fine chopped.
- lime Garnish. Squeeze over served portion.
Instructions
Tenderize the Chicken Breasts
- If using chicken breasts, cut them into chunks and dust with the baking soda.
- Set in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Remove, wash the baking soda off under cold water, pat dry, and set aside.
Make Chicken Curry
- Heat pan and then add oil. Sauté the garlic and ginger. About 10 seconds.
- Add in the onions. Sauté and mix. About 1 minute. Be sure not to burn the garlic and ginger.
- Add the carrots. Sauté 1 minute.
- Move the ingredients to the side to make space for the chicken.
- Add the cut up chicken breasts. Let it sear on the side that is on the pan. About 2-3 minutes.When browned (but not throughly cooked) then begin to turn the chicken and incorporate with the other sautéed ingredients.
- Add the coconut milk. Add the vegetable or chicken broth.
- Let it high simmer, covered, for 3 minutes.
- Uncover and add the turmeric, paprika, coriander, and add the Bay leaves. Mix and then Cover. Simmer on low for 5 more minutes.
- Uncover and mix and let simmer on low for an additional 10-12 minutes (UNCOVERED). Stirring frequently.Add a tablespoon of water at a time if you want more sauce.Sprinkle a pinch of salt.
- When sauce looks creamy and everything incorporated you are almost done. Add the handfuls of spinach and tuck the spinach into the sauce so the spinach cooks from the heat of the sauce and stays colorful and not overcooked.
- Turn off the heat. Let the spinach wilt and once it is wilted, serve immediately.
- Garnish with cilantro and lime on the side. Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
- serve with a side of rice
- serve with a side of roti or flatbreads
- serve with a garnish of Thai chilis or pickled vegetables
- add potatoes, red bell pepper, mushrooms, or chopped chicken liver
- add salt to your taste
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